Nov 23rd, 2008
Terrace Gardening On A Slope
If your property has an incline or slope, it can be turned into a lovely garden oasis. Where weeds were once abundant, a lovely flower garden could grow. Or you might put in an organic vegetable garden. Despite the rugged terrain, the slope can become a lovely planted area, turning a liability into an asset.
Make Terraces Where Once Was A Slope
Making terraces on a slope can produce some breathtaking results. It also broadens what can be grown in that area by providing a level area for planting. This makes it a lot easier to walk and work in the garden area. There’s no doubt, however, that making terraces is a lot of work, and can also be rather expensive depending on the materials used for the walls.
Railroad ties used to be considered a good source of material for making retaining walls for terraces. They’ve fallen out of favor these days, and especially aren’t recommended for organic gardens. Creosote is used to preserve the wood, and that creates problems. Because it’s a toxic substance, contact with creosote can irritate the skin. Creosote fumes can irritate the respiratory tract.
In other words, it’s rather nasty stuff. Apart from the fact direct contact isn’t good, the stuff can also leach into the soil and water. If you’re growing vegetable plants and there’s creosote available in the soil for the plants to absorb, it’s available for the plants to absorb, you’re going to eat whatever chemicals are in the plants. Lumber treated with creosote for your terracing just isn’t a good idea.
Building Safe Walls
Small projects that are just little slopes might be able to use the new landscaping boards such as those found at Gardens Alive! which are made out of recycled plastics. For all but the smaller slopes, use bricks, concrete blocks, modular retaining wall blocks or stone. The different masonry options require varying levels of expertise, so be sure you know how to build walls with the materials you opt to use.
Since the idea of terracing is to provide level beds, the steepness of the slope will dictate the height of the walls. Obviously, the higher the walls, the sturdier they need to be, and well anchored. There should be proper drainage for large terraces. They should also be well anchored into the sides of the slope at each end.
The walls will have a lot of weight pushing on them from the soil behind them, and even more pressure after a rain. Walls must be built properly, or they will bow outwards or even collapse.
This is a big task, so if building your own terraces seems like too much to do own your own, there are landscaping contractors that can do the work for you. There would be more expense, of course, since you’ll not only have to pay for the materials, but their labor as well.
Time To Ready The Terraces For Plants.
Erosion often cause slopes to have poor soil, so it’s a good idea to enrich the soil before planting. To provide a better growing medium for your plants, add some compost, well-rotted cow manure, rich loam, peat or other amendments into the soil. Think about what plants you want to grow, however, and if you choose those that thrive in poor soil, don’t enrich the soil much.
When the soil is ready, choose your plants, whether vegetables or flowers (DirectGardening.com – Offers quality plants at great prices). A good place for vining plants is along the top edge of the walls, which allows the vines to trail down over the sides.
Long Lasting Terraces.
Building terraces can be a lot of work, and depending on the materials, rather expensive. However, they’re a great way to beautify a slope, turning it into a beautiful garden and improving your landscape.
Having more space for plants is always a good thing.
